http://www.themat.com/pressbox/pressdetail.asp?aid=11386
FEATURE: Fire burns inside Brad Vering, who is going full-speed ahead into the new Olympic cycle
12/22/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece did not quite go the way that Brad Vering of the New York AC had expected. He will be the first to say that it did not meet his goals and dreams.
Going into the Olympics, Vering had come off two years where he had placed fifth in the world. He felt like he was improving, and truly believed he could win a medal in Athens at 84 kg/185 lbs.
The Olympic competition went by very quickly for Vering. He lost his first match to a very tough wrestler from Egypt, the kind of opponent he had to beat to become a medalist. His second opponent did not even show up for their match, as the Egyptian had already clinched the victory in the pool. Vering only wrestled six minutes in Athens. Before his first day was over, he had been eliminated from the tournament.
“It was hard for me for three weeks,” said Vering. “I wasn’t happy with what happened. I did the Real Pro Wrestling show. I trained real hard for the World Cup, where I wrestled well. I beat some very good guys competing in the old style.”
His gold-medal win at the World Cup in Tblisi, Georgia was a big step for Vering, who has already made the decision to seek another chance at Olympic glory in 2008. He found out that his Olympic experience, although very disappointing, also taught him some valuable lessons.
“In the matches I have wrestled since the Olympics, I’ve felt much more comfortable. I am more confident. Things are coming to me in the matches,” said Vering. “It is a different feeling. The Olympics is a different level than even the World Championships. You get a feeling “that I don’t care who you are. I am going to do my job. I am showing less emotion. The more emotion you show, the less energy you put into wrestling.”
When Vering won his World Cup match against a star athlete from Georgia, in front of a large hometown crowd, he noticed a difference in his approach to wrestling.
“We wrestled in front of 7,000 people in Georgia. They went nuts. They know their wrestling. I felt that I kept my composure real well. I felt I have matured as a wrestler,” said Vering.
Vering entered the New York Athletic Club Christmas International as a way to get some quality matches under his belt, as well as to get practice with the new international rules. So far, Vering is not very excited about the rule changes. He is concerned that the big throws from the mat are being taken away from Greco-Roman, with the elimination of forced par terre. He is also concerned that less skilled athletes can hold position for a two-minute period, in order to stay even with the better-prepared athletes and try to force a clinch.
“I am not a big fan of the new rules, but you have to train for it and get ready for it. It doesn’t matter what the rules are,” said Vering. “The last few months have been frustrating with the rule changes. It has changed so much, even in practice.”
“I am staying in it mentally, staying positive,” said Vering. “I will take whatever they throw at me with a grain of salt. So what if there are tough workouts, tough rules? It is frustrating, but bring it on. The strong survive, and we will see what happens.”
Vering is finding that he still enjoys the process of being a world-class wrestler. He enjoys the training, the weight lifting, the practicing of technique. He finds pleasure in getting better over time.
“I train every day with (96 kg wrestler) Justin Ruiz,” said Vering. “Every day, I have to bring something new to beat him. It makes both of us better. I can’t stop learning if I am going to score on people like him. If I can score on him consistently, then I can score on any of the 84 kg guys in the world.”
Vering is also planning a very busy competition schedule this year, not only to learn the rules but also to continue to work on improving his wrestling performance. It began with the New York AC Christmas International, where Vering won a gold medal, defeating veteran Ethan Bosch in the finals. He will wrestle in a dual meet tournament at Fort Carson, Colo. in late January. Then he has plans to compete in international events in Cuba, Hungary and Poland.
“I am going to wrestle in five tournaments over six weeks,” said Vering. “It is not only to wrestle the new rules, but also to wrestle against the best in the world under those new rules. It is about getting victories. It is about getting more confidence. It is building on what happened last year.”
Brad Vering knows that he has many more things that he plans to achieve as a wrestler. That challenging Olympic experience will be part of the process of growing and improving. He has already moved forward, looking to write the next chapter in his life. His decision to wrestle in New York City during the holiday period is proof enough that Vering is highly motivated to reach high goals and dreams.
“The fire is burning. Trust me. If it wasn’t I wouldn’t be here. Something has made me want to be here to compete,” said Vering.
Wrestling Gear
